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Aramina’s eyes narrowed "You’re Barrons’s ward, aren’t you?"

And too late, Lena remembered the blood feud between her half brother and this woirl like you shouldn’t be out here alone It’s dangerous"

"I know I couldn’t find o back without her"

Consideration lit those brandy-brown eyes Then the duchess’s ruby-tinted lips thinned "I’ll look for her What’s her naainst the wall in relief "She’s wearing white"

The duchess paused with her hand on the door handle "The naht with Lord Fenwick last year?"

"Not by choice," Lena ad whether the duchess would care

They all knew about it, after all

After a long stare, the duchess slipped through the door "I’ll find her Stay here; it should be safe"

Lena fanned herself furiously Of all the things to happen, she would never have iined that the Duchess of Casavian would help her She was notorious for her cool des of the House of Caine, Leo included

Why help the ward of her ene to search for Adele… Lena’s black lace fan slowed The duchess had told her to stay here, not return to the ball, where she hly unlikely a blue blood lord would stumble into the powder room, but it was also the perfect place for an ah away that nobody would hear her screa over the music

All the duchess had to do was find one of thebucks and whisper in his ear Then Lena would be ruined--just another pawn lost in the game between the duchess and Leo

She couldn’t stay here

Bolting for the door, she slipped out into the darkened corridor Was it her ihts been turned down? Heart thu in her chest, she hurried toward the ballroo in the corner of her eye Soe bronzed hand clapped over her ed back into a ed her into the darkness of one of the ainst the flesh of his hand, her slippered feet kicking at his shins Will’s predatory smile slipped He’doff her roused all his dangerous instincts

"Hush," he whispered against her ear and she shivered "Lena, it’s me It’s Will"

The tension drained out of her so absolutely he had to catch her up against hiainst his chest Each sers fisted in his shirt, dangerously close to the area over his heart Will froze, his hand hovering over her hair

What had frightened her so badly? Somehow he didn’t think it was his own actions; fro so with it a wave of red The hair along the back of his neck rose, a growl consu his vocal cords

"Lena?"

"I’ her other fist, she punched hihten ten years off ot you so scared? Who’s huntin’ you?"

Lena froze Her other fist unclenched fro loudly "Nobody’s hunting me"

Lie

"Nobody except you" Her eyes narrowed "What are you doing here? Are you insane? They’ll tear you apart!"

"I’ve safe passage for the night"

"Why?" A look of concern crossed her face and she took his ar on his sleeve "Don’t trust them Don’t let them mix you up in their schemes If there’s a way around whatever they’ve promised, they’ll find it"

Curious words frost the Echelon for years

He looked at the s on his arether

Will’s gaze slid to the low scoop of her neckline and the full curve of her breasts Moonlight gli a silvery sheen across her flesh She was beautiful A goddess of the night, liht Each curve of shadow beckoned him mysteriously, dared him to put his hands on her, to trace the dips and curves that filled out her gown Christ His cock hardened, straining against the fabric of his breeches He could al a step back, he shook her hand off "You owe me sorabbed her wrist, stroked his thuered into hi must have shown on his face, for she sucked in a deep breath "Please, Will Not now There’s so I must take care of"

"Course there is"

"You don’t understand I have to find ed So down into that heart-shaped face "What kind of trouble?"

"There’s a…a gairl alone" She rubbed at her wrist unconsciously

"Go on"

"Adele would never have left willingly She knows the consequences Please, I have to find her Before it’s too late"

"You’re not goin’ alone"

"If anyone sees me with you--"

She’d be ruined He was half tempted for a moment She’d never be able to return to this world with the stight alone with a verwulfen

But she’d made her choices This was the world she wanted There was nothing for her in Whitechapel; she’d said so herself